Matchup for Kansas City’s World Cup Round of 32 game is set. Here are the teams
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- Colombia won Group K with a 2-0-1 record and advanced to the Round of 32.
- Ghana finished third in Group L with a 1-1-1 record and advanced to the Round of 32.
- Colombia scored 28 goals in South American qualifying, second only to Argentina.
It was a bittersweet Saturday for Croatia fans in Kansas City, Kansas.
With a tie against Ghana in a Group L match, Croatia would have played its Round of 32 match next week against Colombia at Kansas City Stadium (aka Arrowhead). But Nikola Vlašić scored in the 83rd minute and gave Croatia a 2-1 win over Ghana.
There undoubtedly were cheers at Strawberry Hill for the victory, but also a bit of chagrin at missing out on Croatia playing here. Instead, Ghana will be coming in KC, and that’s a nice consolation prize for KC soccer fans.
The result also means that Portugal did not win Group K, which means there will not be a potential Lionel Messi-Cristiano Ronaldo World Cup quarterfinal in KC.
Here is a closer look at Colombia and Ghana, who will play Friday at 8:30 p.m.
Colombia
How they advanced: Won Group K with a 2-0-1 record
Colombia, which finished third in World Cup qualifying, has big-game experience, having lost in extra time to Argentina in the 2024 Copa America final.
Colombia scored the second-most goals in South American qualifying (28), trailing only Argentina. Luis Díaz had 25% of those goals himself with seven.
Expect to see a lot of blue or yellow James Rodríguez jerseys around Kansas City this week. At age 34, this very well could be the final World Cup for the 2014 Golden Boot winner at the competition.
One other thing to know about Colombia the team: It finished ahead of Brazil in South American World Cup qualifying and beat out Portugal in its group. And one thing about the fans: They travel well, so expect a lot of yellow in KC this week.
Ghana
How they advanced: Finished third in Group L with a 1-1-1 record.
Midfielder Caleb Yirenkyi is only 20, but he’s a rising star for Ghana. He scored the game-winner in stoppage time against Panama. Yirenkyi is a key force for Ghana, which is defensive-minded and looks to hit teams with the counterattack.
Ghana finished 8-1-1 in World Cup qualifying, allowing just six goals. The “Black Stars” scored 23 goals with seven goals allowed.
Antoine Semenyo scored seven goals for Manchester City last season but he has struggled to find his form for Ghana. He suffered a slight ankle injury against Croatia but should be ready to play in the knockout stage, coach Carlos Queiroz said after the match. Ghana could use a big game from Semenyo to pull the upset.
This story was originally published June 27, 2026 at 8:46 PM with the headline "Matchup for Kansas City’s World Cup Round of 32 game is set. Here are the teams."
